Pudsey won over the judges and the TV audience of Britain’s Got Talent in 2012.

Along with Ashleigh, the four legged contestant went on to win the competition – netting a £500,000 cash prize and the chance to perform at the Royal Variety Show in front of HM The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.

Pudsey was the first animal to win BGT (Jules O'Dwyer & Matisse won in 2015) and beat off stiff competition from Loveable Rogues, Only Boys Aloud and Jonathan and Charlotte to win the 2012 crown.

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Other TV roles

Following the success of BGT, Ashleigh and Pudsey went on to land a number of high profile TV roles.

They were judges on ITV2’s Top Dog Model competition, featured on ITV’s That Dog Can Dance!, and presented CBB C shows Who Let The Dogs Out And About? And Who Let The Dogs Out?

Pudsey also enjoyed a moment in the spotlight without Ashleigh playing Duchess in the TV adaptation of David Walliams ’ children’s book, Mr Stink.

Pudsey appeared on stage, TV and film after his BGT win (Image: Daily Mirror)

Pudsey: The Movie

In 2014, Pudsey hit the big time with big screen outing Pudsey The Dog: The Movie.

Produced by Simon Cowell ’s Syco Entertainment and film company Vertigo Films, the film featured Pudsey (voiced by David Walliams), Spaced star Jessica Hynes, multi-award winning actress Olivia Coleman (voicing a horse) and Ashleigh (voicing a cow).

The film was panned by critics and only made £2.6 million at the box office (having cost £2.5 million to make).

Charity work

It’s not all just been cheap TV and film tricks for Pudsey.

He also fronted a PETA campaign calling for a ban on cruelty to animals in circuses in 2012.

He (with Ashleigh) also fronted a Christmas appeal in the same year to highlight risks that pets face over the festive season.

Ashleigh has said her 'heart is broken' by Pudsey's death (Image: Handout, Publicity Picture)

Theatre roles

Between 2012 and 2016, Ashleigh and Pudsey featured in six different theatre productions.

They played Alice Fitzwarren and her dog in multiple productions of Dick Whittington between 2012 and 2015.

They also played Dorothy and Toto in a 2015 production of Wizard of Oz, and appeared in productions of Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk.